The long hot spell broke in spectacular fashion last weekend when Wellington hosted bottom side Burnham-on-Sea in the Somerset League’s Premier Division and had to settle for much the better of the draw as all games in the division suffered that fate.

Going into the game, as a result of Ashbrittle CC’s withdrawal from the division and the subsequent expunging of their playing record, Wellington rose to third in the division and were back in with a shout of challenging for the second of the two promotion spots.

As it was a massive shower around 11.00am saw that whoever won the toss would surely look to bowl first and it was Burnham who won this aspect and decided to do the expected.

They were then forced to endure a 185 run opening stand between Tom Chambers and Neil Hendy and this is a new record for this item…

With knocks of 78 from Chambers which included ten fours and a six and 87 from Hendy with eight fours and three sixes it was a Red and Blacks batting master class on show…

When Hendy was out there was a flurry of wickets as quick runs were chased against a backdrop of gathering gloom as the score moved on to 199-6 with McCollum taking 3-72 in seven overs as he fought back well from an expensive start.

Sam Whitefield and Ben Evett recaptured the momentum for Wellington as they smacked 23no and 16 no respectively; indeed Evett’s knock occupied just seven balls and contained two sixes with Whitefield’s having one four and one six in it; in adding 37 for the seventh wicket they took Wellington to 236-6 in 42 overs when a declaration came.

Tea was taken, but overs had been lost affording Burnham the chance to grind the overs out and claim a draw.

Luke Desave and Jack Beal took the new ball and Desave trapped Harris LBW with the score on zero, but only five overs were possible before the rain came down for good and saw the game abandoned as a draw with Wellington taking 23 points and Burnham-on-Sea 18.

Wellington stay third and are 44 points behind second placed Taunton Deane 2nd XI and are 21 points clear of fourth placed Taunton St Andrews 2nd XI with four to play and a week off on Saturday 11th August given that their home game with Ashbrittle is now no longer part of the schedule.